The Last Resort

(Please don't email, it's only a joke.)

- posted by J-Birds @ 11:44 PM |

 
Debra's New Wheels

Debra's Christmas present was a golf car. She can now enjoy the property "recklessly". It will also be great for tours rather than the 30 minute hike.

The first annual Chateau Plumage New Years Eve party is today. We start at 3:00 and go until. If you can make it please stop by. Even the birds are excited.
- posted by J-Birds @ 6:46 AM |

 
Talking Birds

Ten to Twenty percent of people looking for their first bird mention "good talker" as their top priority. For those people, it is our opinion that large domestic parrots rank as follows:

1. African Greys
2. Eclectus
3. Amazons
4. Cockatoos
5. Macaws

These are ranked using a number of criteria such as size of vocabulary, clarity of speech, frequency, etc.

We happen to be in the remaining 80-90%. Once you have bonded with your bird, you don't care if they ever talk. The fact that they do is an amusement, rather than a requirement. Parrots are such complex creatures that their other dimensions such as intelligence, affection and general behavior far outweigh speech.

Without being judgemental, we feel that people who are exclusively focused on talking are in the preliminary stages of researching parrots. We encourage these buyers to continue studying before they make a purchase.

- posted by J-Birds @ 8:13 AM |

 
21 Today

Our oldest Vos baby is three weeks old today. We're going to take it inside on Saturday. Apparently, cold weather makes babies develop more quickly. This baby has its eyes totally open already. Usually, their eyes are still tiny slits at this time. It is already showing color...it's a big fat baby girl! Usually, they don't show color until 4 weeks at least.

This is Sonia's first girl after 8 boys. If the baby is as pretty as its mother, it's going to be an awesomely impressive bird.

- posted by J-Birds @ 9:05 PM |

 
Holiday Angst?

Christmas was fun. We went to a pseudo family reunion on Friday night. On Saturday we cooked all day and had our kids, Evan and Rachael, over with their dates. Our family hasn't had a sit-down dinner in quite a while. On Christmas evening the six of us sat at the table for over two hours enjoying each other's company.

Today, everything tried to get back to normal but it wasn't. Can't get the body or the mind back in gear after a relaxing three day weekend. So we're taking tomorrow off to get ready for the New Years Eve party/open house.

Got a Husqvarna chain saw for Christmas. Pray for me and the trees.

The breeders outside have suffered through 6 freezing nights in a row (the low was 24). This week the temperatures will moderate with highs reaching 72 degrees by Thursday. Lows will remain above freezing for the foreseeable future. They won't know how to act. The Vos babies made it through well. Sonia kept them warm in the nest and Cal fed them often. They'll be coming inside the house on Saturday.


- posted by J-Birds @ 8:32 PM |

 
Sunday Comics

- posted by J-Birds @ 8:42 AM |

 
Christmas In Two Photos


- posted by J-Birds @ 11:16 PM |

 
Merry Christmas Everyone

Wishing you and yours a safe and happy Christmas. We woke up this morning to big snowflakes...kind of a mini-miracle in south Louisiana. Today is also Craig's Birthday.
- posted by J-Birds @ 9:28 AM |

 
Ready As We'll Ever Be

Tomorrow night starts our Christmas festivities with an extended family get together at Craig's mother's place on the coast of Mississippi. Christmas day we'll have immediate family over for a late turkey dinner. Sunday we'll recuperate.

This should be Thanksgiving all over again. A wonderful family, great friends from all over the country and the world, the home of our dreams and all our feathered family here and around the country. It's very humbling in a way.

And to add to our joy, it looks like Max and Jake will be traveling to a wonderful family in Seattle sometime after the first of the year. The power of the internet never fails to amaze me.

Be safe, stay warm and have a wonderful Christmas. Craig & Debra
- posted by J-Birds @ 6:26 PM |

 
South Louisiana?


Sleet/Snow

Friday.

- posted by J-Birds @ 11:30 PM |

 
More Wildlife of Chateau Plumage

You gotta go here.

We skipped a day of posting to keep Jake and Max at the top of the blog for awhile. We've gotten two serious inquiries so far, one from Magnolia, MS and one from Seattle, WA. Hopefully we can get them into a permanent home soon.
- posted by J-Birds @ 10:02 PM |

 

Project Safe Parrot - J-Birds is a participating member of the Louisiana Aviculture Society's Project Safe Parrot bird rescue association.

Project Safe Parrot was founded to care for unwanted and neglected birds. Birds can be donated to the project, no questions asked. The relinquished birds will receive the best in housing, diet and medical care until a "forever home" can be found. To place a bird, please contact J-Birds.

Project Angel Wings

- posted by J-Birds @ 6:51 PM |

 
16th Annual Mardi Gras Avicultural Conference

It's not even Christmas yet and we're talking Mardi Gras. Dr. Greg Rich sponsors a nationally recognized conference on avian issues each year during the first week of Mardi Gras. This year the conference is on Sunday, January 30 from 8-4.

Speakers include Dr. Michael Taylor (PDD), Dr. Susan Clubb (Feather Destructive Disease) and Julie Murad (Gabriel Foundation). You can print an Application and get hotel information HERE. Come on Friday and enjoy two nights of parades before the conference.

- posted by J-Birds @ 9:56 AM |

 
Sunday Comics

- posted by J-Birds @ 11:16 PM |

 
LAS Christmas Party

Sunday is the annual Louisiana Aviculture Society Christmas Social. Food and refreshments, good conversation and birds. Activities start at 2:00 pm at Jefferson Feed and Garden Center (upstairs) at 4421 Jefferson Highway (Near Clearview Pkwy) in Harahan, LA. If you and your family have never been to an LAS meeting this would be a good one to attend.

Dr. Greg Rich will be surgically sexing birds for $20. This is a great deal and we appreciate Dr. Rich's support. Dr. Rich's annual Mardi Gras Conference will be held in six weeks or so. We'll have more information about that later.

- posted by J-Birds @ 8:37 AM |

 
New Years Eve Party

We've reached a point where it's time for a party. The Chateau is ready and you are all invited. This is a traditional New Years Eve party with a bonfire and lots of great guests. We will start at 3 pm for those of you who have small children or don't want to stay up to ring in 2005. The festivities will last well beyond mid-night. Come when you can and BYOB and BYOF (fireworks).

If you need a hotel room, we'll be happy to make recommendations. RSVP and we'll send you directions. Call us at 504/415-3493 to RSVP.

- posted by J-Birds @ 4:34 PM |

 
Frozen South

People often ask how we can keep breeder birds outside in the winter without hurting them or their eggs/babies. It's a challenge and a bother. We make creative use of work lights for warmth and tons of plastic wrap to protect the birds from the wind. They contribute by staying in their nest boxes for warmth. Only the male Eclectus stay out on a perch and each one has a light to stand next to.

Last night we hit freezing for the first time this year. Tonight and tomorrow night we should be 24-25 degrees (-4 Celsius, Snowbabies). Every day we do a little more to protect the birds; every night we worry. So far so good, the baby Vos' are chirping loudly from under their mother. She takes such good care of them we don't want to take them from her.

Usually, the first big cold front in November or December brings the coldest weather of the year. Hopefully, it will not get into the twenties again this winter.

- posted by J-Birds @ 3:56 PM |

 
Screaming Ducorps

Someone did a search on Yahoo early in December with the search of "how to keep Ducorps from screaming" and came to our blog. I wish they would have called us so we could tell them about Ducorps in person. They didn't even email.

You see, Ducorps Cockatoos are the quietest of all Cockatoos after they are one year old. Prior to their first birthday, they have an interesting habit...they whine on every breath unless you are holding them or they are eating or sleeping. We think that they are so used to being handfed several times a day that they crave the interaction. Whining is the only way they know to get attention.

So, what to do? Well, it's kind of like having a baby that cries. Check its diaper, feed it, burp it, check its temperature, take it for a ride in the car, rock it.... With Ducorps it's similar...check its food, handle it for a while, put it in its cage and then ignore it. Sometimes a cover over the cage works. Mainly, you just have to wait until it is a year old and it will stop on its own.

When this happens you will realize that it was all worthwhile and you will have one of the nicest, most wonderful pets in the world.

- posted by J-Birds @ 8:18 AM |

 
Winterizing Your Parrot


Be sure to protect your parrot as winter weather arrives. Parrots are tropical birds. As such, a little preparation can keep your bird healthy and happy during cold weather.

Indoors (in heated rooms)
Remove cages from drafty windows.
Cover cages at night with a sheet.
Hang a bird tent inside for smaller birds.

Indoors (in cooler rooms)
All of the above, plus:
Add a light on the cage near a perch when temperature is below 60 degrees. Be careful that your bird cannot reach exposed wiring. (An incandescent black light will not interfere with a bird's sleep.)

Pet birds should never be exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees even with these precautions.

- posted by J-Birds @ 5:13 AM |

 
Something New

We've created a page for Available Babies that can be linked to in the right-hand column. Essentially it is a stripped-down blog that will only show one entry - the most recently updated baby list. We hope to change our website to reference this blog page soon.

It's interesting because, instead of making changes to the website and uploading them, we just have to log onto the Available Babies blog and update it.
- posted by J-Birds @ 10:31 AM |

 
Sunday Comics

- posted by J-Birds @ 1:00 AM |

 
Praising Skunks

We see "our" skunk several times a week. Thursday night we found him grazing in the aviary eating pellets. When he saw us he left. Later that night I was bringing water to the birds and as I entered through the front gate, he entered from the rear. We both stopped in our tracks and neither one of us flinched. It was like an old western gun fight. Eventually, he turned and walked off smugly.

We're learning to co-exist because we think skunks make better companions than raccoons for the birds. Skunks feed on rats, mice, spiders and scorpions. We don't particularly care to have any of these creatures near the house or the birds.

Debra has named him, Sebastian. Guess we'll be buying him Christmas gifts next week.
- posted by J-Birds @ 5:00 PM |

 
Available Babies

Sonia's second Vos baby hatched this morning. Mother and babies are doing great.
We are accepting deposits at this time but the sex won't be known until early January.

We also have four weaned parrots available. One male and two female Solomon Island Eclectus and one Yellow Nape Amazon. Please contact us at 504/415-3493 or 985/892-3527 if you're interested.
- posted by J-Birds @ 9:52 AM |

 
September In December

The leaves in southern Louisiana are starting to change colors. For those of you who missed Vermont in September think of Louisiana at Christmas time. This has been a very unusual Fall. Temperature today is 72 degrees.
- posted by J-Birds @ 9:23 AM |

 
First Birth Announcement

Sonia hatched the first baby at our new home this morning. A bouncing baby Vosmaeri Eclectus. Her other egg should hatch on Thursday. They will both come inside before New Years. We don't normally give names to babies but we may have to come up with a temporary name befitting the occassion.
- posted by J-Birds @ 9:09 AM |

 
The Great Sunday Fire

Sunday we burned the debris pile. What an impressive sight...flames rising 20' or more. That combined with folding chairs, a sixpack and some fried chicken made it quite an event.
- posted by J-Birds @ 6:31 AM |

 
Sunday Comics

- posted by J-Birds @ 8:13 AM |

 
Chainsaw Adventure

After months of planning and scheduling this Saturday will be spent with our trusty chainsaw getting rid of dead-fall limbs and dead trees near the driveway and house. This most probably adds up to at least 2 cords of wood.

Debra doesn't believe in wood. She prefers Duraflame wax logs in the fireplaces because they are easy to light and leave little mess. So, we are going to have the world's largest bonfire on Sunday afternoon. I may have to call the local fire department so they don't send trucks out by accident.

Derrick is coming out to talk birds on Saturday. He may be the first person to see us in parrot rancher mode.
- posted by J-Birds @ 8:11 PM |